Il Tamarino Stampe d’Arte di Pier Francesco Mearini

Tamarino artisan workshop produces limited edition original etchings.The ancient technique of etching is thought to have originated in Florence in the early 16th Century. In the first stage of this technique the copper plate is covered with a wax varnish and then etched using different types of engraving tools. The etched plate is immersed in a mordant ( formerly known as " acquaforte " literally meaning "strong water" in Italian) that corrodes the copper where the wax has been removed. The plate is inked, covered with a dampened sheet of paper and passed through the printing press. The etching has a limited edition due to the pressure caused by the printing press which compresses the metal plate. The dry print is then water-coloured. The whole manual process from printing to water-colouring makes each etching unique whilst being part of a numbered series.